Greek Corpus - Map of Content
Ancient Greek sources feeding the SOTCD lore generator — mystery traditions, magical practice, and divine philosophy.
Corpus Stats: 1,135 chunks | ChromaDB: greek_corpus
Sources
The Greek Magical Papyri (PGM)
Trans. Hans Dieter Betz
The definitive collection of Greco-Egyptian magical texts (2nd c. BCE – 5th c. CE).
Contents:
- Invocations to gods (Helios, Selene, Hermes, Typhon-Set)
- Love spells (agōgai)
- Binding spells (defixiones)
- Divination procedures (lamp, bowl, direct vision)
- Protective amulets and phylacteries
- Recipes for sacred inks and incenses
Key Concepts:
- Voces magicae (words of power)
- Syncretic deity forms (Helios-Mithras-IAO)
- Systasis (divine introduction/encounter)
- Praxis (ritual procedure)
Hermetica
Trans. Brian Copenhaver
The Corpus Hermeticum and Latin Asclepius — philosophical dialogues attributed to Hermes Trismegistus.
Key Tractates:
- Poimandres (CH I) — Cosmogony and divine vision
- Asclepius — Theurgy, ensouled statues, prophecy of Egypt
- On the Nous, On Rebirth
Key Concepts:
- Nous — Divine Mind, the first emanation
- Logos — Word/Reason as creative power
- Cosmic sympathy (as above, so below)
- Henosis (mystical union)
- The “way up” (anodos) through the spheres
Greek and Roman Necromancy
Daniel Ogden
Academic survey of ancient practices for consulting the dead.
Topics:
- Nekuomanteia (oracle sites for the dead)
- Psychagōgia (soul-leading)
- Ghost evocation techniques
- Underworld geography (Acheron, Styx)
- Famous necromantic episodes (Odyssey 11, Aeschylus’ Persians)
Key Concepts:
- Katabasis (descent to underworld)
- Incubation (sleeping for oracular dreams)
- Blood offerings to reanimate shades
- The “restless dead” as magical allies
The Oracles of Apollo
John Opsopaus
Practical guide to ancient Greek divination methods.
Methods:
- Kleromancy (lot divination)
- Alphabet oracles (Olympian, Delphic)
- Astragalomancy (knucklebone dice)
- Dream incubation
Key Concepts:
- Mantis/mantikē (seer-craft)
- Pythia and Delphic procedure
- Yes/no and complex queries
- Proper formulation of questions
The Maculate Muse
Jeffrey Henderson
Obscene language in Attic Comedy — the earthy, transgressive voice.
Relevance:
- Ritual obscenity (aischrologia)
- Dionysian license
- Language as magical transgression
Thematic Clusters
Divine Contact
- Theophany (god appearance)
- Systasis (formal introduction to deity)
- Henosis (union with the One)
- Nous as receiver of divine light
Ritual Technology
- Voces magicae (barbarous names)
- Material correspondences (stones, plants, animals)
- Timing (hours, lunar phases)
- Sacred space construction
Death & the Dead
- Nekuomanteia / psychagōgia
- Katabasis (underworld descent)
- The shade as information source
- Restless dead as magical allies
Prophecy & Divination
- Oracular methods (lots, dreams, direct vision)
- Apollo and Pythia
- Omen reading
- Alphabetic oracles
Hermetic Philosophy
- Nous / Logos / Pneuma
- Cosmic sympathy
- The seven planetary spheres
- Rebirth and divinization
Connections
- Esoteric Corpus MOC - Modern sources
- Lore Themes MOC - Bridging concepts
- Lore Generator - Content generation
- The Signal - The ancient transmission continues
Sample Fragments
“Hermes is a god of clever speech, including eloquence, but also trickery and deceit: whatever works. He is a messenger for Zeus, communicating between realms.” — Copenhaver, Hermetica
“A good guide is to think of yourself having a brief and valuable audience with a wise sage (or, indeed, with a god!).” — Opsopaus, Oracles of Apollo
“The elements that Homer sees as characteristic of ‘Oriental’ necromancy, such as magical incantations, were completely absent from the necromancies he assigns to the ‘Greek’ type.” — Ogden, Greek and Roman Necromancy